Planoqkaph co



E. R1 BARNUM.

DlRECTION INDICATOR.

APPL| CATlON-FILED MAR. 25. 1915.

1,308,323. PatentedJuly 1, 1919.

2 8HEETS-SHEET l- ATTOR N EY WITNESSES 111B COLUMBIA PLANOORIQPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

E. R; BARNUM. DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25.1916.

.Tne COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

Patented July 1,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J 5/? A? Z INVENTOH" I Erna-Z 2?. Far/wavy WITNESSES (5 BY ATTORNEY ERNEST R. BARNUM, OF NORTH BANGOR, NEW YORK.

DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented July 1,1919.

Application filed March 25, 1916; Serial No. 86,757.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST R. BARNUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Bangor, in the county of Franklin and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in D rection-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in direction 1nd1- cators and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this character wh ch will be simple in construction and operatlon as Well as highly efiicientin use and especially adapted to motor vehicles and the like.

The invention has for another object, the provision of a direction indicator which will be composed of the minlmum number of parts and which may be operated by a single lever to indicate turning of the vehicle in either direction.

The invention has for a further object, the

provision of a direction indicator in which a plurality of rods may be connected with a double acting lever employed to operate different parts of the indicator when moved in opposite directions.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of an indicator of the above stated character in which the levers employed may operate upon difierent doors to open the same and thereby indicate the direction in which the vehicle is to be turned or give a signal to approaching vehicles to notify the occupants of the same that the slgfilitllllg vehicle is to be brought to a standsti With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle equipped with my improved signal or direction indicator,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the indicator removed,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the casing employed,

Fig. 5 is a. rear elevation of the direction indicator, and,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the casing with the front removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates an operating lever which is pivoted upon a suitable support as shown at 2 and is adapted to be lockedby the usual locking means 3, with a segmental rack 4 positioned so that the lever 1 may be Within ready reach of the operator of the vehicle 5 upon which the direction indicator is applied.

Oppositely directed main operating rods 6 are pivoted to the lever 1 and extend respectively toward the rear and forward ends of the vehicle 5. The second operating lever 7 is positioned adjacent the operating lever 1 and is adapted to be locked in adjusted position by the usuallocking means 8 engaged withthe segmental rack 9. The operating lever 7 has the oppositely directed main operating rods 10 pivotedthereto and extending respectively toward the rear and for ward ends of the vehicle 5. It will therefore be seen that I have provided two pairs or sets of main operating rods and levers for controlling the same.

Each main operating rod 6 has a cross member 11 formed on its free end with the rods 12 and 13 pivoted thereto, the purpose of which will presently appear. The main operating rod 10 also has a cross member 1a mounted thereon with the rods 15 and 16 pivoted to its opposite ends as clearly shown in Fig. 2' of the drawings.

Upon the end of the vehicle 5 is positioned a casing 17 which has its free end closed by a door 18 which is hinged to the same, as shown at 19, and adapted to be secured in closed position by a spring latch member 20. The door 18 has a transverse double arrow slot 21 formed about the center of the same, as will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 6. A. transverse plate 22 is also secured upon the outer face of the door 18 and provided with a central transverse opening 28 to disclose the double arrow slot 21. The plate 22 carries suitable cars 21, the purpose of which will presently appear. The door 18 also has an upper light opening 25 which may be covered by the door 26, hinged to the door 18, as shown at 27. A lamp, not

shown, is preferably positioned in thecaring 1n allnement with the opening 25 to serve as a stop signal when the door 26 is open. A.

lower opening 28 is also provided in the door 18 through which may be seen the usual rear light or lamp of the vehicle.

A door opening rod 29 l Sfl6C1116d by one end to the upper door 26 and, pro ects to one side of the door 18 and casing 17, the purpose of which will presently appear. 'A-

shaft 30 is rotatably mounted in the ears'24, previously mentioned, to support the end doors 31 and 32 and the central door 33 which are employed for covering the double arrow slot 21. The springs 34, 35 and 36 are employed for resiliently retaining in closed position the doors 31, 32, and 33, re spectively. It will also be noted that the end doors 31 and 32 are provided with re duced portions adapted to enter the opening 23 when said end doors are in closed position, as will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings. The end doors 31 and 32 are provided respectively With oppositely and outwardly directed rods 37 and 38, while the central door 33 is provided with an outwardly directed rod 39 which extends parallel to the rod 38 and projects beyond the door 18 and casing 17. It will be seen by referring to Fig. 5 that all of the rods 37, 38, and 39 project beyond the sides-of the door 18 and casing 17. The purpose of .the rods 37, 38, and 39 will presently be apparent. It will also be seen by referring to Fig. 5 that the shaft 30 has its opposite ends 40 and 41 bent at a right angle, the end 40 being adapted at times to engage the rod 37 and swing the end door 31 to open position upon rotation of the shaft 30 in one direction. The'opposite end 41 of the shaft 30 is bent and pivoted tothe end of the rod 12, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, which rod upon being shifted longitudinally toward the rear of the vehicle will rotate the shaft'30 and "swing the door 31 to open position.

The swinging rods '42 and 43 are also loosely mounted upon the extended ends of the shaft 30 and inwardly of the bent portion of the'end 41. The upper end of the swinging rod 42 has pivoted thereto the end of the rod 13, while the free lower end of the overlap the inner vertical edges of the doors 31 and 32. This maybe readily'seen by referring'to Figs. 4 and5 of the drawings. The rod 15 has one end pivoted to the upper end of the swinging rod 43 and it will be seen that when the lever 7 is operated to draw the rods 15 and 16 toward the same, the swinging rod'43 will be operated to cause the free lower end thereof to engage the extended rod 39 and thereby swing the central door 33 to open position. The corresponding end of the rod 16 is slotted, however, as shown at 16 and engaged around the extended end of the rod 29 so that movement of the lever 7 in the reverse direction will result in movement of the door 26 in open position, while the lower end of the swinging rod 43 swings away from the rod 39. It will also be understood that when the lever 1 is operated to open the end door 32, the shaft 30 rotates in such direction as to carry the bent end 40 of the same away from the extended rod 37 of the end door 31. Movement of the lever 1 in the reverse direction, however, will cause the end 40 of the shaft 30 to engage the rod 37 upon the end door 31 and move door 31, together with the central door 33 to open position while the lower end of the swinging rod 42 moves away from the rod 38 of the door 7 32. It will be understood that the rods 6 connected with the lever 1 need not be in alinement as it may be found necessary to offset these rods and carry them to opposite sides of the casing 17 at the front and rear ends of the vehicle, in which case the rods 37, 38 and 39, as well as swinging the rods 42 and 43 will be arranged in the same manner at each end of the vehicle.

The slot 16 is of such length as to permit the lever 7 to be moved in one direction without actuating the door 33,- but when tion in which the-oppositely extending rods 16 are moved.- In this case the hinge 27 would have to be mounted at a point diametrically opposite the position shown in Fig. 5.

Each casing 17 is provided with a suitable base 44 which carries supporting arms 45 for securing and supporting the casing 17 and base 44 in proper position." Each caslng 17 is also provided with a suitable electric lamp or bulb 46 of conventional form and positioned in the rear portion of said casing. A transparent member 47 is provided for the front of each casing 17 and-engaged against suitable inwardly directed lugs 48 of the casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The transparent member 47 may be held against the lugs 48 by the main door 18 when the latter is in closed position, the guide strips 49 carried upon the inner face of the main door 18 engaging the front or outer face of the transparent member 47 as will be readily seen by referring to the section of the casing and parts carried by the same (Fig. 4). One side of each casing 17 is also provided with a suit able opening 50, through which may be inserted a card formed of colored cardboard or the like and designated by the numeral 51, the card 51 resting against the main door 18 and engaging the inner face of the same to cover the double arrow slot 21. This card may be inserted for use during day time in order to make it unnecessary to burn the lamp 46 so that the human eye will be readily attracted to the indicator.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the operator may readily control the indicators at the opposite ends of the vehicle by properly manipulating the levers 1 and 7 to notify all parties approaching the vehicle from either direction that he intends to turn to the left or to the right, travel a straight forward direction or bring the vehicle to a standstill.

In practice the arrow slot 21 is normally hidden from view by the doors 31, 32 and 33. When the lever moves to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2, the rod 13 will swing the lower end of the member 42 away from the extension 38 while the rod 12 will rotate shaft 30 in such a direction that the end 40 of the shaft will engage the element 37 and lift the door 31 thus exposing the end of the arrow pointing in the direction to which the vehicle is about to turn. When the lever 1 is turned to the left from the position shown in Fig. 2, the rod 12. will rotate the shaft 30 in a direction to move the end 40 of said shaft away from the extension 37 while the rod 13 will swing the lower end of the element 42 against the extension 38 thus raising the door 32 and exposing the end of the arrow slot.

Upon moving the lever 7 to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3 the rod 15 will swing the element 463 away from the extension 39 of the door 33, while the rod 16 will push outwardly upon the rod 29 thus opening the door 26 to indicate that the vehicle is about to stop. Upon moving the lever 7 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3 the rod 16 will move in a reverse direction without actuating the rod 29 while the rod 15 will swing the lower end 13 against the rod 39, thus opening the door 33. The door 33, when open, will per rnit the light to shine through the central portion of the arrow and under prearranged traflic regulations this may be taken as a signal that the vehicle is about to run backward as is sometimes necessary when caught in a congestion of traflic.

I claim: a

1. A direction indicator comprising a casing, a door for said casing, said door being provided with a double arrow slot, a door for covering each end of said double arrow slot, an overlapping door for covering the central portion of said slot, and means for opening said doors.

2. A direction indicator comprising a casing, a door for said casing, said door being provided with a double arrow slot, a

door for covering each end of said double arrow slot, an overlapping door for covering the central portion of said slot, inde pendent means for opening said overlapping door, and means for opening each of the end doors independently of one another.

3. A signal comprising a casing, a door for said casing provided with a horizontal double ended arrow slot, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported above said slot, a plurality of Vertically swinging doors loosely mounted on said shaft and normally suspended therefrom to cover said slot, said doors including a pair of end bars, and an intermediate door arranged between and overlapping the outer faces of said end doors,arms carried by said doors, an extension rotatable with said shaft and engageable with the arm of one of said doors, extensions mounted for pivotal movement on said shaft for engagement with the arms of the remaining doors, and means for operating said shaft and pivoted extensions to move the doors to an open position independently of one another.

a. A signal comprising a casing, a door for said casing provided with a double arrow slot extending horizontally thereacross, a shaft extending across said door above said slot, a plurality of doors mounted for vertical swinging movement on said shaft and normally covering said slot, said doors comprising a pair of outer doors closing the ends of the slot, and an intermediate door overlapping the outer faces of said end doors and closing the central portion of the slot, arms carried by said doors, an extension rotatable with the shaft and engageable with the arm of one of the doors to move the same to an open position, extensions pivotally mounted on the shaft for engagement with the arms of the remaining doors, independently operable rods connected respectively to said shaft and to said pivoted extension to move the door to an open position, and means for imparting reciprocating movement to said rods.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST R. BARNUM. Witnesses:

WM. F. HADLEY, IRVING P. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaohflby addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

